January 2021

Chicago magazine

Chicago Magazine - the Definitive Voice on Chicago!

Chicago magazine1 min read
Chicago Magazine
Susanna Homan EXECUTIVE EDITOR Terrance Noland DESIGN DIRECTOR Katherine Bryja Shady FEATURES EDITOR David McAninch SENIOR WRITER Bryan Smith SENIOR EDITORS Tal Rosenberg, Lauren Williamson DINING EDITOR Amy Cavanaugh ASSISTANT EDITOR Samantha Yadron
Chicago magazine1 min read
A Cold Embrace
LAST WINTER, WHEN I STARTED DATING MY boyfriend, a pilot, he invited me to meet him on one of his trips. It happened to be in Las Vegas, and when I arrived, we launched into our no-casino agenda, which began with a drive out of the city to watch the
Chicago magazine1 min read
Returning Home
FOR PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID W. JOHNSON shooting at Mount Hope Cemetery (page 76) hit close to home. Literally. His family is from neighboring Beverly, and he partly grew up there. Going back conjured memories of his late grandparents, who spent their whol
Chicago magazine2 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Sandwich Masters
Fry the Coop is terrific when the chicken isn’t overcooked — and that’s hit or miss. Still, a go-to for spice, butter, and crunch. @amyptracy via Instagram I used to be a Bari Italian sandwich guy, but their bread is not consistent. Also, I can’t get
Chicago magazine2 min read
The Wannabe Gravedigger
■ Although he was born eight centuries after Genghis Khan, Maury Kravitz had a story similar to the emperor’s: Both came from poor families but rose to unlikely positions of power. While Genghis Khan unified the largest contiguous land empire in hist
Chicago magazine1 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Your Best Soup Photos
@flygirlkitchen “Everything started with the lockdown,” says Maisa Farina, by which she means going from living in a Loop high-rise to a first-floor apartment in Valparaiso, Indiana, and her foray into social media foodie-ism. As a corporate jet flig
Chicago magazine1 min read
Talking Points
1 Lincoln Park Zoo, which already closed its buildings for the pandemic, will hibernate entirely for two months as a cost saver beginning Jan. 4, following the ZooLights run. 2 While suburban school districts are mostly sticking with remote learning
Chicago magazine5 min readAmerican Government
The New King of the Opposition
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE OF THE COALITION TO STOP THE PROPOSED TAX HIKE Amendment, the ponderously named PAC that helped defeat the so-called Fair Tax in November. It features videos of a single mother, small-business owners, and farmers testifying that
Chicago magazine2 min readPsychology
Against Hustle Culture
Q: In your new book, Laziness Does Not Exist, out January 5, you say that when people hear your thesis, their reflexive response is to argue why they, personally, are lazy. Why do you think that’s the reaction? A: It’s a pretty human thing to hold ou
Chicago magazine2 min readArchitecture
Bungalow on Steroids
DRIVE DOWN CASTLEWOOD Terrace, and you might not think you’re in Uptown anymore. As the street’s National Register of Historic Places registration form points out, unlike the apartment-filled streets to its north and south, which also run off Marine
Chicago magazine1 min read
Sweet and Sour
In their new podcast Wokefield, comedians (and Chicago contributors) Elizabeth Gomez and Adrienne Gunn investigate how the Sweet Valley High novels — about twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield — warped their preteen brains. Here, they pick the least
Chicago magazine1 min read
Why Is Netflix So Obsessed With Chicago?
A: Four of the streaming service’s recent original movies (Holidate, Midnight at the Magnolia, and The Princess Switch and its sequel) and one series (Emily in Paris) have major Chicago plot points. Though there is a tax incentive to film in Illinois
Chicago magazine2 min readAmerican Government
The Original Queen B
1 She got her early-career nom de plume by chance. “According to our family stories,” Michelle Duster writes in Ida B. the Queen (out January 26), Wells had seen the d in her name handwritten on a document as if it were two letters, so that her first
Chicago magazine1 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Boozy Bubbles
■ “Booze is for drinking,” insists the founder of Soap Distillery, Danielle Martin, who brews cocktail-inspired soaps, body scrubs and oils, and candles. That’s why you’re not going to get a contact high from her products, which don’t contain any act
Chicago magazine1 min readDesign
Sneakerhead Mecca
AMONG A CERTAIN SET, SNEAKERS ARE TRADED LIKE STOCKS, and few kicks have more value than limited-edition deadstock. Which is why entering the new Stadium Goods flagship — the online marketplace’s second brick-and-mortar boutique, after the crazy popu
Chicago magazine1 min read
Elizabeth Margulis’s Artist
■ “Multidisciplinary artist Jas Petersen had a show a few years ago, and I bought a piece for about $5,000. She called it Last Night I Hung Out With the Moon. (She Told Me About the Sun. I Told Her About You.). It felt true to my soul. Later, she and
Chicago magazine2 min readPsychology
Select One
I’VE NEVER BEEN THAT INTERESTED IN PERSONALity tests. Probably because I’m one of those people whose personality can be summed up in a single word: loud. I voice my opinion in meetings. I sling jokes at happy hour. I ignore the glares of my fellow br
Chicago magazine1 min read
Re: WFH Goals
For Taking Flawless Notes marthamae.info The goal Get back to simple practices, like putting good old-fashioned pen to paper, to create a sense of calm and purpose. The goods Ordinary items with a sophisticated twist. Check off that to-do list with m
Chicago magazine1 min readFashion
Used, but Make It Fancy
Quote From $165 for sneakers The RealReal says “Chicago is home to some of the biggest names in streetwear, so we’re leaning into sneakers and streetwear from brands like Nike, Yeezy, Balenciaga, and Off-White.” Standout pick Yeezy x Adidas Boost 350
Chicago magazine2 min readRegional & Ethnic
The Comfort of Curry
YOUR WINTER EATING PLAN, step 1: Order some Japanese katsu kare (cutlet curry). Step 2: Lean the crispy cutlet against the white rice like Deborah Kerr on Burt Lancaster in From Here to Eternity, then slosh the thick, dark curry sauce around them lik
Chicago magazine2 min readRegional & Ethnic
Bagel Boom
In July, Superkhana International (3059 W. Diversey Ave., Logan Square) debuted a takeout window for its Indian food, plus snacks and drinks from other chefs, including Kelly Helgesen of Takeaway Bagel. A former pastry chef at Lula Cafe, she makes su
Chicago magazine2 min readRegional & Ethnic
Upper Crust
IF POT PIE IS THE COZY SWEATER OF meals, then the version at Spinning J in Humboldt Park delivers comfort with style. Chef Dinah Grossman fills a buttery pie crust with saag paneer, the classic Indian mixture of spinach, spices, and cubes of paneer,
Chicago magazine1 min readRegional & Ethnic
Smørrebrød!
“This is modeled off a Danish reindeer dish,” says Burns, who subs in braised short rib. Confit potatoes, balsamic onions, red wine and shallot butter, lingonberries, and housemade brioche round it out. $9 PAIR IT WITH Millie Westport Brown Ale. “It
Chicago magazine1 min readRegional & Ethnic
Pimiento Cheeses
Paul Fehribach layers textures and flavors in his superlative version. The thick, sharp spread (made with Hook’s cheddar, Duke’s mayo, house Worcestershire sauce, and roasted pimientos) comes topped with crisp, vinegary chow-chow and is served alongs
Chicago magazine2 min readRegional & Ethnic
The Hot List
1 SUGARGOAT What Stephanie Izard’s latest project: a bakery that takes inspiration from childhood eats Why Cheez-It cake? Chocolate shake french fry pie? This menu is pure uncut Izard. Where 820 W. Randolph St., West Loop 2 GIANT What A food truck wi
Chicago magazine5 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Road Food Fantasies
BEFORE I LEARNED TO LOVE RESTAURANTS, I LEARNED to love reading about them. My mom, a faithful Bon Appétit subscriber, meticulously kept a multiyear archive of back issues on a shelf in a closet near our kitchen. Every so often, we would go through t
Chicago magazine2 min read
DEVELOP an Appreciation for Dead Grass
Beds full of desiccated plants suddenly become striking when you realize, as the Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf has said, “Brown is also a color.” He famously creates his compositions, including Lurie Garden, with all four seasons in mind. “He thi
Chicago magazine2 min read
STEP Into Your Own Outdoor Wonderland
City dwellers lucky enough to have a patch of Chicago to call their own: Now is the time to increase your usable square footage. “Channel the warming aesthetics of a ski chalet for your cold weather retreat by surrounding yourself with layers of cozy
Chicago magazine2 min read
PLAY All Day
The only way out of a Chicago winter with two young kids is through. This summer I became an expert at keeping them and myself from losing it when our typical warm weather distractions weren’t an option. (For a mini drivein, I stuck each kid in a Lit
Chicago magazine1 min read
TURN Snow Shoveling Into a Serious Workout
1 Warm up with a five-minute jog and 50 air squats. 2 Start circuit 1 with heavy shoveling. “Focus on getting the most snow in each shovelful,” Hudson says. “Bend your knees. Use your legs to get underneath the snow.” Shovel for 40 seconds, then rest
Chicago magazine2 min read
Spend The Night With Keanu And Sandra
IN THE 2006 MOVIE THE LAKE HOUSE, A TREE WHOSE SEASONALLY changing leaves mirror the feelings of the protagonists grows through the center of a home. We know that Keanu Reeves is with the wrong woman because she doesn’t wear winter boots. And that Sa
Chicago magazine2 min read
ZIP AROUND Like an Olympian
• Olympian Aja Evans, bronze medal bobsledder • Hometown South Loop • Advice “My sister, my mom, and I used to go sledding at Dan Ryan Woods and use different things, like big plastic tubs, to see what was the fastest. My mom said, ‘We need a real sl
Chicago magazine1 min readEarth Sciences
BEHOLD The Beauty Of Starved Rock In Winter
SOME 19,000 YEARS ago, torrential meltwater from a receding glacier tore through central Illinois, gouging out the Illinois and Kankakee Rivers and the dramatic sandstone canyons of what is now Starved Rock State Park. Those water-carved canyons attr
Chicago magazine1 min read
BUNDLE UP Rover
PHOTOGRAPHY: PREVIOUS SPREAD: (STARVED ROCK) MIKE “MISH” SHEDLOCK; THIS SPREAD: (PETS, 1) LIKA LIKA ■
Chicago magazine2 min read
Avoid Hating Yourself For Stepping Outside
The best thing about living in Chicago is experiencing the full four seasons. Spring’s returning neon green tree leaves put a bounce in your step. Summer’s open fire hydrants and porch stoops relieve you until the burning sun fades to an orange eveni
Chicago magazine2 min read
GO SKIING (Even If It Won’t Blow Your Mind)
Thanks to ever-shifting travel restrictions, it’s probably not the year for your dream trip to Telluride. It is, however, the perfect season for newbies to hone their technique on the cheap and for experienced skiers to … ski from a highish place to
Chicago magazine2 min readCooking, Food & Wine
DRINK Something Hot and Boozy
DENISSE SOTO, OSITO’S TAP // Serves 8 “Like tea Grandma would give you when you’re feeling down.” 7 Honeycrisp apples10 cups water4 cinnamon sticks1½ tsp. chopped unpeeled ginger½ cup honey3 cups sugar2 cups mezcal2 cups lemon juice 1 Quarter the app
Chicago magazine1 min read
SEE Winter’s Beauty on Snowshoes
Snowshoes have come a long way since the days of those tennis-racket-looking things strapped to your feet. Today, even a cheap pair can open up access to trails and terrain hard to reach on foot — and those big strides burn more calories than running
Chicago magazine1 min readEconomics
Build An Igloo
1 Collect a few dozen half-gallon plastic containers — milk jugs with their top halves cut off work just fine. “The more you can get,” says Alvestad, “the faster your igloo will rise.” 2 Wait for a good strong cold spell that’s forecast to last at le
Chicago magazine2 min read
LAUGH At A Polar Vortex
THE EXPERT Edna Jackeline Vazquez Núñez, who completed a 155-mile run in Antarctica in 2016 THE HACK “I put a little chocolate — some dark chocolate almonds with Himalayan salt from Target or a square of a Lindt Excellence dark chocolate bar — in a Z
Chicago magazine1 min read
TAKE the Dreamiest Selfies
Lake: “I love that the exterior of this restaurant is almost like a living art gallery. They constantly tap new artists to change the murals.” 1401 N. Ashland Ave. Lake: “The neighborhood is full of beautiful art, specifically 18th Street [from Loomi
Chicago magazine2 min readNature
WATCH Bald Eagles Devour Lunch
MANY A COLD WINTER DAY, I’VE BUNDLED UP TO GO bald eagle watching. More than 3,000 of the once-endangered birds spend the coldest months in Illinois, making it the best place to view them in the United States, after Alaska. Why? The number of rivers
Chicago magazine1 min read
Learn How Virus-proof Your Outdoor Activities Are
“It’s generally a solitary activity. Low risk for COVID-19, high risk for heart attacks.” “I don’t know how close you want to be to somebody who’s throwing a snowball at you. I bet you’ll be happy to be six feet away.” “Barring sitting on a sled with
Chicago magazine2 min read
FIND Some Workout Pals
• Perfect for Casual runners who want a carrot at the end of the stick • What Three- or six-mile routes, all paces welcome. Runs end with free hand warmers and hot drinks. • Where Bronzeville • When Saturdays at 8 a.m. Free. Last Lap Cornerstore, 332
Chicago magazine2 min read
Ice-fish Just A Few Miles From The City
You don’t need lots of gear to fish on frozen water. Just a hand auger to drill a hole (cheap ones can be had for around $40) and your usual fishing rod and tackle, plus a few other odds and ends. (An electronic fish finder, pictured above, is decide
Chicago magazine2 min readAstronomy & Space Sciences
SEE STARS … and Planets and Meteors
Stargazing is a slept-on winter activity, mostly because Chicagoans would rather (with good reason) be getting drunk inside. But winter is an opportune time for it, since the season features plenty of astronomical events worth catching. Sure, you mig
Chicago magazine3 min readCooking, Food & Wine
PLAY WITH FIRE (and Smoke)
KEVIN HICKEY, THE DUCK INN // Serves 2 “To cook outdoors, I use a turkey fryer — you can find one for $40 — and place a cast-iron skillet on its propane-fueled burner. Most people don’t have backyard grills that can get ripping hot, but this will, an
Chicago magazine3 min read
SLEEP In The Woods
The phrase “winter camping” rightly incites an instinctual shiver in most of us. But with the correct gear and some expert tricks, spending the night outdoors from January to March can be, dare we say, downright toasty. Here’s everything you need to
Chicago magazine2 min read
Run Away From Everything
FEBRUARY IS THE BEST TIME FOR A RUN IN CHICAGO. OR RATHER, February is the best time for a run in Chicago when you’re anhedonic, it’s a global pandemic, it gets dark at 3 p.m., and you have butt sores (butt! sores!) from working at the same kitchen c
Chicago magazine13 min read
Burial Rights
The grassless patch of land, about half the size of a football field, had been cleared so hastily that pools of muddy water still filled the ruts made by the earthmovers’ tires. The road leading to the parcel had yet to be paved, and the cars in the
Chicago magazine40 min readMedical
Top Doctors 2021
Amina Ahmed Gynecologic cancer. Rush. 312-942-6300 Summer B. Dewdney Gynecologic cancer. Rush. 312-942-6300 Carolyn V. Kirschner Cancer survivorship. Rush. 312-942-6300 John V. Knaus Breast and gynecologic cancer. Amita St. Francis. 855-692-6482 Andr
Chicago magazine2 min read
H. Steven Sims
Three times a week or so, I bike two and a half miles to work, and then on my ride home to the South Loop, I’ll take the scenic route — up to Lincoln Park or farther out west. I also have a mini stepper, which I use twice a week for about 30 minutes.
Chicago magazine2 min read
Deborah Burnet
I’m 62. About five years ago, my gym had an indoor triathlon, and I won. Not just for my age group — I won for all the women. I thought, This seems good. I’ve got to keep doing this. And then I won the Chicago Triathlon for my age group the last coup
Chicago magazine2 min readMedical
Surendra Gulati
I ask all my patients, “Do you exercise?” “Yeah,” they say, “I take the garbage out,” or “I go to the mailbox.” That’s very disheartening. As we age, we need to keep the body in the best possible condition. There’s evidence that having a good cardio
Chicago magazine2 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Thomas Klarquist
I go for walks as much as I can. If I’m going to an exam room, I’ll even circle around different hallways, just to get a few extra steps. I also have a Peloton bike that I use in the evenings and on weekends for 30 minutes. It’s a good way to relax,
Chicago magazine2 min readMedical
Anju Tripathi Peters
Prior to COVID, at least four times a week I would go to my gym and do classes, like cardio kickboxing. What the lockdown did was force my family to start walking again. We’re in Lincoln Park, and we walk to my parents, who live two miles away in Wri
Chicago magazine3 min read
“Stories That Have Bite”
AS A WHOLE, “CHILDREN’S theater has had a deservedly bad rap,” says Jacqueline Russell. That’s a jarring assessment from the cofounder and artistic director of Chicago Children’s Theatre, but Russell believes that past perceptions of plays for kids —

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